Test Drive Ford Escape since 2012 SUV

Golden mean

Ford Escape. Price: from 845500 rub. On sale: since the summer of 2008
All flows and everything changes. Ford's model range left Maverick, a new Escape model came to shift. This is a compact SUV, suitable for the city, and for fishing raids. Check the debutant in the Dmitrov Auto Polygon
Test pilot
Maxim Egorov, 23 years old, car journalist, driving experience 5 years, personal car - Mitsubishi Lancer
Compact Maverick, for a shift that Ford Escape came, until recently was one of the most popular brand SUVs. True, mainly in the United States, where he really did not get out of the tops of sales. In Russia, as, however, in Europe as a whole, things were not so rosy. But at the same time the car knew, and the model name was associated not only with the hero of the cult film about the Top Gun flight school asah.
But time flies, and with him, as usual, gradually goes out and interest in the car. The simplest and, accordingly, the common means of improving interest in the car is restyling. But sometimes cardinal metamorphoses occur. The positioning of the model remains the same, but everything else changes, right up to the name. That is what happened to Maverick. A drop in demand for him forced the company to make another, if you can say so, the car. After all, in fact, the SUV simply updated and renamed.
So, Ford Escape family car with all the resulting. The main buyers of the model are people in the conscious age of 35-45 years for whom the cast appearance of the car is not priority. Therefore, the design of the SUV is maximally restrained and simple. The exterior does not shine with bright details. Strict shapes of the classic body wagon is a rigorous inclined front rack and vertical rear years recovered. Is that a stylish plastic body kit in a circle slightly out of the common canvas, but prizes the wider grill of the radiator, stretched from the left to the right headlamp. Stable light from Escape halogen, but he, alas, shines not in the best way.
In the cabin, everything is most simply as possible, but quite adequate: inexpensive, practical plastic, sulfur velor. What may not like, so this is the branded blue backlight of the dashboard. In the dark, it bleats the eye strongly, which makes it difficult to read the information. The climate control in the cabin is answered by three regulators on the center console. But they are not so easy to figure out due to the non-standard inclusion algorithm. Zero position, OFF mode, is in the middle, and not on the side, as often happens. You can get used to everything to everything, but it does not work in any way to recognize this solution.
An important factor for the family car is space in the cabin. At first glance, there are not many places here. This impression is created because of the high floor: the road clearance is 21 cm. But at the same time, the space in the cabin is still abuse. The extensive range of adjustments and the high ceiling will allow you to grasp even the man of basketball growth. The back will not be closely threesome, the inconvenience can only deliver the almost vertical sofa back. As for the trunk, at the length of the car 4.5 m for baggage, a sufficient volume is selected. For loading of overall things, you have to lift the light fifth door, and the trifle can be thrown into a separate rear window.
Not least, the family car is chosen from security and behavior for expensive. The first parameter is all right. In the car installed belt pretensioners, front and side airbags, ESP stabilization system. But the dynamics and handling, frankly, at the average level: no bright victories, as, however, and defeats. It will not be possible to drive on Escape, everything is configured for a measured ride.
The gasoline engine of 2.3 l produces 145 liters. with. at 6000 min-1. A lot, but overclocking up to 100 km / h at the same time takes 12.1 s. One of the reasons for such a non-radiation is an outdated four-stage automatic. It does not quickly adapt to driving style. To speed up this process, you can go into the mode without the fourth transmission, but on the overclocking dynamics, this operation does not particularly affect. The maximum speed of 161 km / h is achieved in the third gear. When switching to the fourth revolution, up to 4000 min-1 decreases, and the speed gradually decreases to 155 km / h. This mode can be called economical, trail.
The steering is informative you will not call. The steering wheel is lightweight, but it saves short speed: from the stop until the stop is just 2.9 turns. With sharp alternate loads, the productivity of the hydraulic tape falls, due to which the steering wheel starts to be gouging, but does not bounce.
As for maneuverability, in front and behind the Ford Escape multi-dimensional suspension. Front McPherson with transverse stability stabilizers, rear with double transverse and longitudinal levers. As a result, the suspension turned out as comfortable and elastic as possible. It swallows any irregularities without even noise. Big clearance and high gravity center has caused modest indicators on slalom and rearrangements. After loading the car until full, these numbers decreased by another 2-3 km / h. Thus, Escape once again proved that it is intended for a measured and comfortable ride, but not for racing.
Stable good results The car shows in a braking test. Ford Escape has become a worthy continuation of Maverick. He is simple, reliable and comfortable.

The whole family
Ford Escape does not claim leadership among its competitors in the classroom. This product is directed exclusively to a certain segment of buyers. The age of the target audience is 35-45 years old. This is a family that loves the active holidays, as well as country trips, for example, to the cottage, on the river, walking on bicycles. By purchasing Ford Escape, a person makes a rational choice by analyzing the automotive market of this class. Exceptional practicality. This car provides owners with a spacious lounge with a good transformation. The engine, though not new, but moderately economical. The appearance is neutral, calm. This is some of the main requirements for a family car. Comfort and practicality above all. Therefore, Ford Escape already in the basic configuration offers a very wide range of options. Complete sets are a bit, only two, distinguished only by the presence of a hatch, rear parking sensor and climate control instead of an ordinary air conditioner.

Love not love
Escape clearance allows you to ride off-road, but some suspension levers are very low. Important
Ergonomics of the cabin does not shine design, everything is classically, but it is convenient and practical. This applies to both management bodies and various boxes. Comfortable

Expert
Eduard Shivorshinov, 36 years old, test engineer, driving experience 14 years old, goes on MB G300 TD and V220 CDI
The car does not shine novelty. All units motor, transmission, full-wheel drive long known. You can call them outdated, from here and not so high dynamic indicators. But as a family car for the people who took place, this model is perfect.

Our estimate
Ford Escape is aimed at a certain age group. These are family people, 35-45 years old from the clan, those who need a comfortable, spacious, moderately passable car without sports ambitions. Ford Escape Excellent continuation Maverick.

Body
+ Classic design
- uncomfortable outer mirrors
 
Riding Comfort
+ spacious lounge and trunk
- High Pol
 
Force aggregate
+ acceptable fuel consumption
- Low power

Chassis Properties
+ Comfortable, elastic suspension
- Rare
 
Security
+ airbags, active and passive security systems

Ecology
+ compliance with toxicity standards
Author: Maxim Egorov
Photo: Sergey Crostes
 
 

 

A source: Magazine 5 Wheel [February 2009]